CHAPTER 153: MARIA AND HER FATHER (2)

"...that’s it?"

The Pope let out a groan, his calm expression slightly warped.

"For that reason, you cast me away?"

"Yes."

Maria answered without hesitation, as she leaned back with a gentle smile, now hiding more terrible secrets.

"Saria has once mentioned to me."

She sighed. "That I am the type to cast aside less for the many."

A glint of sharpness crossed her eyes as she locked on the Pope with a slanted gaze.

"I inherited the trait perfectly from you once, Father."

She confessed, her tone gentle. "I truly believe it was my calling once, until a fateful day arrived."

She took a deep, deep breath.

Somberness slipped into her crestfallen face, yet in the midst of it was a slight blush.

"It took... it took a long time..."

Her hands gripped into a prayer gesture. "But I finally encounter someone truly precious to me."

In being cast aside by her Father, Maria was more alive than she could ever be.

For she has finally found her life’s purpose.

Her one and only, that she will never abandon.

The sole reason for continuing the troublesome task is to save the world.

Because, unfortunately, Mel wished for the Witches and the World to be saved.

With only a slightly vague comment, she muttered to the Pope.

But more to herself.

"And I’d do anything for that person."

For that, she cast a silent glare into her own Father’s calm eyes.

"So I despised you, my Father."

For what could’ve been an emotional tale, Maria once twisted it for her selfishness.

For the demises of the ’naive’ witches.

For the betrayal by the Witch of Wrath.

For the final fate... of her lover.

Her gaze lingered on the stairs before flicking back to hide her hint of weakness.

Too bad, as the Former Pope caught it like a vise.

"I see."

And unexpectedly, a sense of understanding flashed through the Pope’s eyes.

"I, too, once had a wife before I received my calling for the Goddess."

Then, he let out a deep deep sigh.

"But I, too, abandoned her. For the Goddess’s duty was more important than my wife could ever imagine."

Yet his voice was flat, his eyes steady as he stared back at the calm Mara.

"I was wrong."

He confessed.

"My Wife passed away peacefully and quietly in her mundane wine cellar."

He hung his head, his smile a regret.

"Even dressed in the most lavish robes, I truly wish she had died as my Wife, not as a divorced woman."

Maria blinked indifferently; a pity tactic? Or simply an attempt to sympathise with her?

"You can still now, my Father."

Her fingers danced on the table, a negotiator’s move.

"Sever your connection with the Cult now, and rejoin your Wife as-"

"You got it wrong, my Daughter."

The Pope raised his head back, his blue eyes quivering, yet bore a resolve Maria felt disgusted at.

"Maria. This is the World my Wife’s grave inhabited."

He twirled idle circles on the table. "Powers must be held in the hands of responsible adults, not some children who only know how to play love and romance."

His eyes narrowed. "Especially you, Maria."

As his finger stopped, he leaned back again, relaxed.

"Even if I’m sure you’ve hidden more cards than I can imagine, I will oppose you."

He clutched at his chest, a beating heart that still drummed with passion.

"Because I could recognise distinctly when a person truly failed to care about the World and its entirety."

When his wife died that night, what he used to treat as ’duties’ were now burdened with ’guilt’.

He thought Maria... the same.

Emphasis on ’thought’.

"You do not care, Maria."

Even a blind man could tell Maria loved Mel, genuinely.

But her love was neither devotion nor a sense of duty.

"If for the sake of yourself, you will twist that child’s happiness to be solely dependent on yours."

Even the Pope could tell Mel’s ’happiness’ was not solely relying on Maria.

But what will happen otherwise? What will happen to those Witches yet unawakened?

The retired Pope scoffed. "You never abandoned that possibility, didn’t you?"

Worse, what will happen to the world by then?

The All-Powerful Saintess, could the World escape from her powers unleashed?

A silence seethed through the air, and tension sprang as they flatly gazed into each other.

Too understanding of each other’s burdens and duties.

And too understanding that there was no way back.

Maria sighed, her mechanical smile softening.

"I hate smart people like you."

Concluding Joseph was determined to be against the church...

...no, against her, Maria stood up.

"My offer still stands, Father."

Her steps slowly shifted, her hand hovering over the tasteless, shapeless Silence barrier.

"In the end, I can tell you’re but a mortal, too suspicious of me and the power I possess."

Distrust was the worst poison that could sour a relationship; Maria and her Father remained the same.

They both distrusted each other and had valid reasons to do so.

"But please know it was fully within my rights to focus Mel’s happiness on me only."

Maria, as if relieved, chuckled.

The Former Pope raised an eyebrow, his sensitive ears catching the bubbly fulfillment within that laugh.

Genuine, without any fault.

And creepy, for its implication.

"For now, consider your thoughts again. Father."

She left the barrier as she waved behind.

"I’ll now go upstairs to play with Mel again."

As he watched Maria slowly shift upward, her back finally disappearing, the Former Pope slacked into his chair.

Ridiculous.

He has seen Maria deceived since she was a child, yet never had she revealed so much... honesty when talking about her lover.

"Seems... the plans must advance a little."

He gripped his nostrils, contemplating.

Right now, it was more important than ever to restrain not only the Witches’ powers, as the Cult’s original purpose dictated by Nyrel.

But also to restrain Maria’s as well.

Worse... she could be hiding her powers.

Were her Powers truly... truly Exarch Ranked?

Even the Pope himself failed to know... he couldn’t have known.

"Alright..."

He was but a mere mortal.

So naturally, he would serve his best as a mere obstacle; however he could.

"First... that pink Witch Mel... must not be exposed to the Saintess’s true intent, and be recruited into our Cult."

Joseph could tell; Mel was trying to restrain the Witches’ powers, in a sense.

Then the Cult with the same purpose had nothing to fear; instead, they should try their best to recruit Mel herself.

For if they grasped Mel, Maria would...theoretically, be more restrained.

But he shuddered to think if Mel gained the perspective similar to his...even distancing away from Maria as a result.

Unacceptable. The World couldn’t afford Maria’s berserk.

Yet that means more contacts with the Academy’s spies. This time... he must attend himself.

"Next... and the most important goal..."

If all else failed, the Former Pope had one final cruelty he must fulfill.

"Maria Sableheart."

He gripped his fist, venom seeping out.

"She must die."

Collecting himself, however, the Former Pope returned to his bar.

...no time for the Cult.

He must tend to the bar, just as his wife did.

Unfortunately... however...

Hello! Oi, Old Man!

...sometimes, even the eldest couldn’t afford a rest.

He let out a groan, before he spoke.

"Yes, I’m fine."

Throughout the conversation and till now, he has linked with other Cult’s Archibishops, those that wrestled powers with him.

So that once Maria cast him aside, they could soon devoured his seat and influence, in the guise of his ’sudden death’.

Maria of course knew, but who cared?

All he needed was to show he had her, and she had him in check.

And they will be satisfied.

A mischievous grin curled up on his lips.

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As Maria stepped upstairs, her lips curled to an annoyed frown.

Her eyes briefly swept over the floor, her senses stretching just as her mana allowed her to.

An authority given by Charity, similar to Envy.

"Ah..."

She smiled widely, in a brief reprieve.

There lied one little naughty girl, their ears pressed to the door as if waiting.

Alongside another, who stood by her side with her palm covering her lips, as if holding back a laughter.